Fastener



Fatented nlan. 13, 1925 FRANZ A. FULLER, F NEVTARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE J. E. MER/GOTT CO., OF NEWARK, NEX/V JERSEY, A,C0RP0]?JATON 0F DELAVTARE.

FASTENER.

Application tiled June 30, 1923. Serial No. 648,692.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known thaty L'FRANZ A. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an efficient fastening device for holding two abutting elements. as for instance the cover and body of a trunk orlike receptacle, in closed relation, the holding elementsv becoming automatically engaged by the vapplication of moderate pressure.

Another purpose is to produce a holding device that can be positively locked, effectually preventing separation of the parts except by the use of a key suited to the structure.

A further aim is in the provision of a fastener composed of two normally separable elements, independently attached to the respective members of the receptacle at any preferred relative angle.

These aims, objects and purposes, together with others hereafter made manifest, as economic construction, ease of assembling and finishing, neatness of appearance, and general practical merit, are accomplished by the novel construction and combination of parts further on described and shown in the annexed drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a general plan view of an embodiment of the fastener, illustrating its application and showing by broken lines various angular dispositions of the engaging elements.

.Figure 2 is a side view of the same, indicating the use of a key in positively locking or releasing the elements.

Figure 3 is a partial plan, partial sectional view of the hinged hasp and its attaching member, the section being taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 4.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of -the same taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hasp and plate to which it is pivoted, the easing member being omitted.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing in detail the severalparts composing the lock or liasp receiving portion of the structure, each in its relative position.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the lock, parts being broken away to show the construction and assembly.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lock taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken on line 2)-9 of Fig. 7.

Figure 10 is a perspective viewA of the sliding keeper plate in detail, reversed in position from that shown in Fig. 6.

In Figs. 1y and 2 ofthe drawings the numeral designatesY a fragmentary p0rtion of the main body of a receptacle and 16 the cover of the same, as for instance a trunk and its lid.

A casing 17, generally an elongated rectangle in shape at its base, is secured as by rivets 18, to the cover 16. this casing presenting al raised central portion 19 along one edge having a Hat face blending into the base by sloping curves presenting a chamber 20 open at the top as illustrated.

A plate 21 is secured in the base by prongs 22 formed on the edge of the casingand inbent as shown in Fig. 4 rigidly securing the parts together after assembling.

Said plate is sheai'ed and bent to provide a central tongue portion23 and a pair of opposed upstanding lugs 24 along its forward edge, these lugs being perforated to receive a straight hingepin 25, on which is mounted a pair of bossesI 26 fitting between the lugs and formed with a flat plate hasp 27 extending over and between them, tangentially lfrom the peripheres of the bosses, in the plane of the surface of the easing element 19, when turned outwardly, presenting al level, substantially unbroken surface, readily amenable to polishing operations.

The lower kside of the bridge .28, extending between the bosses 26, is recessed to provide space for a coiled torsion spring 29, encircling the pin 25, one end ofthe spring contacting against the under side of the hasp and the other end engaging notch 30 in the edge of the tongue 23. Y

Thus the spring'is entirely concealed, t0-

gether with the hinge pin 25, the latter being held from longitudinal displacement by reason of its extending ends, which loosely fit between the opposed end walls ofthe chamber 20, rendering riveting or upsetting unnecessary and eliminating the distortion of parts usually consequent to such operations, beside the labor involved.

It is to be noted also that the spring 29 is free and untensioned when in the position shown in Fig. 5 but becomes operative when the hasp extends at a right angle to the cas` ing, increasing in effect as the hasp is brought down into locking position as in Fig. l, and furthermore, that no crevices appear at the joint between the hasp and casing to collect dirt and interfere with plating and polishing operations.

Fixed in the outer, rounded 'and reduced, free end of the plate hasp 27 is a stud 3l having a semi-spherical head 32, partially separated from the body of the stud by an annular` recess 33, this stud being rigidly held by riveting to extend from the under side of the hasj The lock or hasp engaging portion of the structure comprises another oblong rectangular casing held by corner rivets 3G to the body portion l5 of the receptacle, this casing having flanged sides 'and ends blending'by concave curves into a flat top plate 37.

NearA one end of the casing is an opening inwhich is rigidly secured a bushing A38 having a rounded, slightly extending` Aupper end and projecting on the under side of the plate 37 to present stops 39 of somewhat more than a half circle for a purpose further on described, this bushing being suited to receive the studBl, the hasp element 27 resting on the extending end Aof the bushing when engaged. 1 A

Projecting from the edges of the end flanges of the casing 35 are prongs 40 bent over in assembling to hold in fixed relation having upturned flanged sides 43, from which extend lugs 44 contacting with the interior of thecasing, locating the plate-centrallyA therein.

Acentral longitudinally raised strip45 is Iformed with the plate 42, the same having y Vtip G9. Y the depressed ends 4l of a bottom pl ate, 42

the curved end 32 of the stud has'passed the end'of the keeper, whereupon the spring 4S will press the keeper forward. into 'locking engagement uf'iththe stud; Y Y

lnterjacent thekeeper slide and under V side of the casing plateis a sliding cam plate 55, shaped at its outer end to conform with the profile of the keeper platej-Oand havingpairsof narrow elongated slots 5G adjacent its sideedges, the sliding cam plate being slightly narrower than the keeper plate and materiallyshorter. Y n 'l l.

At the center of the cam plate 55 isa round opening 57 and concentric withit,

on its upper side, is a raised cam 58 lhighest v at its center., the length of the cam being approximately l20degrees. .f e

,The slots 56 in the cam plate 55 are'in register withv asingle pair .of elongated slots 59, formed through the casing top plate 557 and betv'veen these ,laste named slots is an` opening 60 having a cam-likeprole, its opposite sides being, different in radiusand length as at 61 andl 62, the longer radius, extending past the shorter .tof form a recess G3 and abutment 60. Y

A hollow rectangular cap 64 is formed with a raised circular escutcheon 65contain-v ing a key opening 66 having afdownturned interior edge suited to receive the key G7, the same having Theoppositc side edges` of the cap 64 ha ve pairs of hook lugs 70 suited to passthrougls. the casing'plate slots v59 and plate slots 56, the extending hook .portions of the lugs beinggthereafter .bent outwardly, .at 71, holding the plate to the-capso that these elements move in unison. Y;

A circular stem 72 extendsiupwardv into the cap 65,the stem having a transverse slot 73 in its upperportion adapted to receive the wards 68 of the key, while the tip 69 enters a ycorresponding depression in the lstem at ythe bottom ofthe slot, it being understoodA that the stem is'bored receptive of the body 0f the key. Y 1

Said stem is formed with an annular flange-74, below which is an integral lug 7 5 extending from the center to the periphery ofthe flange, and projecting from the lug, axially-of ther stem, is a pin 76 `reach- Yopposed wards v68 anda.

ing through the opening v57 in the cam plate '55, centering and aiding in conveying motion to it as the-cap-Gl' is'moved over the casing, and extending vinto the rece-ss 5l of the keeper slide 50, -moving the same rearwardly when the cap is moved, thus freeing the keeper 53 from the head 32 and releasing the hasp.

Disposed between the flange 74 and under side of the escutcheon 65, is a compression spring 77, encircling the stem 72,.normally maintaining the flange pressed over the opening 60 and the pin 76 in operative relation with respect to the cam and keeper plates.

It will now be seen that when the stem 7 2 is turned crosswise of the casing the lug will pass over the highest point of the cam 58, compressing the spring 77 and permitting the carp 64 to be moved rearwardly, freeing the hasp from its keeper.

Upon turning the stem by the key 67 to dispose the lug 75 lengthwise of the casing, its end will make contact with the transverse edge or abutment 60 of the cam shaped opening, preventing movement of the cap and thus positively locking the hasp stud within the casing, but not preventing its entrance into the bushing 38 and becoming automatically locked.

The shape of the cam opening 60 prevents turning the stem more than half a revolution and the effect of the spring 77 is to cause the stem to remain by friction in adjustment andv not change therefrom b-y handling, jarring or the like until moved by the application of suitable force, this spring also assisting in positioning and maintaining the lug 75 in either of its adjusted positions longitudinally and with reference to the cam 58.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the lug 75 is in the position shown in FigsA 7 and 8, the cap 64 and its associated parts can be pressed towards the left of the structure as illustrated, moving the keeper 53 out of engagement with the grooved hasp stud, which will then rise due to the spring 29. When the lug is turned oppositely its end abuts the element 60 preventing the slide moving, but the keeper plate 50 can be moved at all times to permit entrance of the hasp stud.

As the hasp stud 31 is circular it will obviously engage with the lock bushing 38 irrespective of the relative position of the casings, thus permitting them to be arranged at a right angle from either side or in reg ister, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. l, so that the same may be used either right or left handed Without change in structure.

Although I have described my improvements with considerable detail and with respect to a particular form. 'I do not desire to be limited to the precise details, since changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention in its broadest sense.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A fastener for containers having body and cover members comprising a casing attached to the cover member, a flat hasp hinged wholly within said casing, an annuvlarly groovedstud fixed in said hasp, a casing attached to the body member, said casing having an opening near one end receptive of said stud, a spring actuated keeper slidable in said second casing to engage the groove in the stud, a stop limiting the forward movement of said keeper, a slide cap on said second casing, said slide and keeper being connected to operate in unison, said slide being normally manually operable, and means for key locking said slide when in a forward position to said casing preventing motion thereof.

2. A fastener for containers having body and cover members comprising a casing attached to the cover member, a at hasp hinged in said casing, an annularly grooved stud fixed in said hasp, a casing attached to the body member, said casing having an opening receptive of said stud, a spring actuated keeper slidable in said second casing to engage the groove in the stud, a stop limiting the forward movement of said keeper. a slide cap on said second casing, said slide and keeper being connected to operate in unison, a cam plate intermediate said casing and keeper, a stem in said cap operable by a key, a lug on4 the stem engageable with the cam carried by said plate, and a spring encircling said stem tensioned by lug and cam engagement, frictionally resisting movement of said slide cap.

3. A fastener comprising a casing having a level top plate and a bottom plate parallel therewith, said top plate having a circular opening near one end and al registering opening in the bottom plate, a keeper, spring impelled to normally extend into the space between the mentioned openings, a slide movable on said top plate, means associated with said slide to retract said keeper, key operated rotatable means to prevent or permit movement of said slide, said keeper being free at all times to be retracted, and a hinged element enterable through the opening in said top plate engageable by said keeper.

4. A fastener comprising a casing having a level top plate and a bottom plate parallel therewith, said top plate having a circular opening near one end and a registering opening` in the bottom plate,` a keeper, spring impelled to normally extend into the space between the mentioned openings, a slide movable on said top plate, means associated with said slide to retract said keeper, key operated means to prevent movement of said slide, 2L Cum plate intermediate said keeper and casing top'plate, said cam plate controlling the movement of said key 0perated means, a tension means in said slide, a stop limiting the movement of said keeper, and a. hinged element enterable through the opening in said top plate engageable byrsad keeper. Y This specification signed and witnessed this 29th day of June, 1923.

FRANZ A. FULLER.

Witnesses: e

A. B. UNDERHJLL, 'FREDK C. FISCHER. 

